Johnny To is the current king of Hong Kong action cinema. Although he is not quite a groundbreaking stylist in a way that John Woo was, his mastery of cinematic techniques and conventions is undeniable. Memorable actioners like The Mission (1999) and Election (2005) boast strong storylines and compelling male characters, making them surefire hits at the box-office.
His new film Exiled is not quite as good as his aforementioned hits, but it is still very watchable. The story centers on a gang of hoodlums (Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, among others) who have been ordered by their boss to go to Macau to kill a former colleague (Nick Cheung). But when the gang arrives at Nick's home, they change their minds after seeing him with his new wife and baby. The gang decides to defy their boss' order, and the consequences are tragic...
Like his other films and those of John Woo, Exiled examines the themes of male bonding, loyalty and treachery among tough guys. His action set-pieces are all expertly staged. The fancy camera and editing devices, such as slow-mos and freeze-frames, ensure that the film is never dull to watch.
Highly recommended for fans of Hong Kong action cinema.
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